Emma is a trusted advisor in commercial, property, and private client law at Duncan Cotterill’s Christchurch office. She works closely with individuals and families, offering thoughtful, practical guidance across a wide range of personal and business matters.

As a specialist in trust law, Emma regularly advises on estate planning, asset protection, and succession strategies. She understands the complexities of multi-generational wealth and helps clients establish structures that support both long-term family goals and business continuity. Her advice is often in the agribusiness space, where she supports farming families with assets across the dairy, sheep and beef, and arable sectors.

 

See more

Emma’s property expertise spans commercial, rural, and residential transactions, as well as leasing, developments, subdivisions, and financing. She integrates property and commercial advice to support clients with wide-ranging property interests.

Her commercial practice includes advising privately held and family-owned businesses on a broad range of matters, including business sales and acquisitions, share transactions, shareholder agreements, and governance matters. Emma supports clients through business growth, transitions, and day-to-day operations with clear, reliable advice.

With a thoughtful approach to planning for later life, Emma helps clients navigate the legal considerations of aging, ensuring their affairs are managed with care.

Emma is approachable and authentic. She values building strong, long-term relationships as a trusted advisor to her clients, and offering strategic and practical support for both business and personal decisions.

 

 

Recent highlights

  • Advising businesses on commercial agreements, property transactions and leasing issues.
  • Advising clients on succession planning and transferring family assets down to the next generation particularly with family-owned businesses including farms.
  • Estate planning including complex trust and will structuring for individuals and families including forming trusts for business risk and protection of personal wealth.
  • Acquisition and disposal of farm properties.
  • Advising clients on property issues relating to large scale irrigation schemes.
  • Advising landowners of development land on property transactions, including some with complex property ownership restrictions.
  • Advising family trusts and charities on trust restructures and modernising their entities as result of Trusts Act 2019.
  • Advising trustees and beneficiaries of trusts on disclosure of information obligations.

Emma's insights

Incorporated Societies Act 2022 Changes - Information Hub

18 November 2022

Duncan Cotterill advises Stantec on acquisition of Cosgroves

2 July 2025

Is your property ready for a split? Our essential guide to subdivision

9 April 2025

We're driven by our values

They drive our client relationships and connections with our community, and underpin our achievements.

He tāngata

  • Trustee of a community organisation.
  • Provide pro-bono legal assistance on a voluntary basis through Citizens Advice.

Authenticity

“She has married her skill in strategic communication with her expertise to get some great results at great speed, all while being relieving and supportive in her approach.” Private Client

Enterprising

  • Member of the Property Law Section of the New Zealand Law Society.
  • Past member of Canterbury Westland District Law Society Trust Law Committee.
  • Member of Business Networking International.

How can we help?

Get in touch.